2021 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve

Lastly, the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Reserve is cut from the same cloth, with a fresh, vibrant, elegant profile. A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre, it clearly brings the most depth and structure in the lineup and has a brilliant perfume of crunchy black cherries, new leather, peppery garrigue, and hints of sandalwood. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully layered, elegant Châteauneuf Du Pape that would pass undetected in a lineup of Grand Cru Burgundy. It will benefit from a year or three of bottle age and evolve through 2036. The Vacheron Family, along with winemaker Bruno Gaspard, make some of the region’s finest wines. Located on the border of Châteauneuf du Pape, in the Courthezon region of the appellation, the estate covers 25 hectares, and they release a bevy of brilliant Châteauneuf du Pape as well as Côtes du Rhônes. While I thought the 2020s were slightly challenging here, it looks like the 2021s are rock-solid and as good as anything in the vintage, while the 2022s look to be a return to richer, more concentrated, powerful wines that hold onto a beautiful sense of balance and purity.

Cherries and darker berries combine easily on the nose of the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve, which is its usual proportions of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre. There's an attractive note of pine resin this year as well. Medium to full-bodied, it's not as rich as in the best vintages, but it's still a great wine, concentrated and silky, with a long, lingering finish.

The 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Réserve turned out magnificently and is one of the highlights of the vintage. The 2021 La Réserve was vinified from organically grown grapes - almost equally Grenache and Mourvèdre. Attractive aromas of predominantly red fruits, crushed flowers, thyme and exotic spices waft from the glass. It seamlessly lingers across the palate, dazzling with polished tannins and excellent freshness. The persistent finish is remarkable, with new flavors emerging long after the wine has left.